East NY tenants rally against Gateway houses landlord

Tenants of an East New York apartment complex who say they are being forced out of their homes held a rally Saturday that led to

EAST NEW YORK - Tenants of an East New York apartment complex who say they are being forced out of their homes held a rally Saturday that led to a tentative agreement with their landlord.

Residents say they plan to get the new lease agreements in writing once the new work week begins.

Tenants of the Gateway houses rallied because they say the new owners of the complex, which has 1,500 units, have wanted to turn their rent-stabilized apartments into condominiums. "They're trying to force us out or force us into purchasing," says Renate Jones.

Residents say the new owners were giving them short-term leases only, along with steep rent increases each time they renewed. "We are constantly receiving rent increases every three months, every six months, to the point that the increases went up anywhere from 4 percent to 30 percent," Jones says.